Painful Trials
by Irresponsible Captain T
Summary: Tenchi & co. meet up with a new enemy, mother nature
1. No Need For Worry

Disclaimer: The characters of Tenchi Muyo Belong to AIC and Pioneer  
LDC so please dont sue me. If you sue me, I'll have to find your  
home and torture you to death. So I really don't have time to do both.  
In all seriousness, please don't sue me as I have no money.  
  
Aknowledgements: Thanks to Little Masa-Ohki and The Total Anime Nut  
for prereading this for me. A large thanks to Dav for both prereading  
it for me and walking me through the changes. Sorry, Cav, If you preread   
this without a thanks but you haven't gotten back to me. Anyway, Thanks  
again. Now on to the fic!  
  
  
  
Painful Trials  
Part one: No need for worry  
  
At 9:27, Ryoko, as usual, was hovering over Tenchi's bed when he   
woke up in the morning. He always was frightened when Ryoko did this,   
even though it had become habitual. He had finally convinced her not   
to look in the restroom while he was in there, but he was unable  
to dissuade her from waking him up. Tenchi opened his eyes, saw Ryoko,   
and became fully awake with a start. He sat up and was about to tell   
her to stop doing this when she began to laugh. Ayeka knocked on the   
door and then opened it, saying, "Lord Tenchi? Have you...?"  
Ayeka saw the scene in the room and started to laugh along with   
Ryoko. Although Tenchi had been startled by Ryoko, he was sleepy   
enough that he didn't realize what they were laughing about at first.   
His pillow, which he had been sleeping on, had stayed attached to his   
head as he sat up. Someone had glued the pillow to his face while he   
was asleep. "What the..?!" Tenchi exclaimed. "Who did this?"  
It took Ryoko and Ayeka more than a few moments to calm down and   
stop laughing. Ryoko then said, "I don't know. But you have to admit   
that it's pretty funny, Tenchi." They looked at him again and were   
overcome in fresh fits of laughter.  
"Oh, never mind. Ayeka, what were you going to ask when you came   
in?" Tenchi asked.  
Ayeka stuttered to a halt. Still giggling, she said "I was going   
to ask you if you had seen Sasami this morning. She wasn't in her bed   
when I woke up and Kiyone and Mihoshi haven't seen her. They asked me   
to go looking for her instead of helping them with breakfast."   
This statement was greeted by more giggling from the closet. The   
closet door opened, and Sasami stood there with a tube of glue in her   
hand. Still giggling, she said, "I knew that Tenchi was sleeping late   
today and so snuck in. I hope your not to mad, Tenchi, but I couldn't  
resist the opportunity."   
Tenchi immediately softened to Sasami. She was such a sweet kid   
that it was hard to stay angry at her for too long especially when she   
acted so innocent. He said, "No, I'm not mad at you Sasami. Not as   
long as we have some solvent, for this glue."  
"You think I would pull a prank like this if I didn't know if we   
had some?" Sasami asked incredulously. She handed Tenchi another   
tube.   
"Now that that's settled, let me get changed and we'll go down   
and eat some breakfast."  
It was 9:31.   
  
10:30 saw Tenchi driving into town with Mayuka and Kiyone.   
Breakfast had been late because the combination of Ayeka's inexperience   
and a blunder by Mihoshi had produced an edible but unappetizing meal.   
Ayeka had burned the rice and Mihoshi had accidentally switched recipes,  
turning the breakfast into a hybrid of a traditional Japanese breakfast   
and sukiyaki. Sasami had quickly made a new breakfast for them, but it   
had delayed Tenchi. He was going into town to see his father. Ever   
since Ryo-Ohki had moved Tenchi's house out by the Masaki shrine,   
Nobiyuki had rented a room in town and came home for the weekends. He   
claimed that it was cheaper than gas, but Tenchi thought that it was   
another instance of his father trying to get Tenchi hooked up  
with someone. Although this was the reason he said he was going to   
Nobiyuki's, he really was leaving because he needed some space. He   
needed to clarify his feelings for the girls. Mostly he was afraid of   
hurting them. He loved both Ryoko and Ayeka, but was unable too choose   
because of the pain he knew he would cause. Since he liked them both   
as friends and as something more, and he wanted to be able to keep both   
friendships. But he knew that it would be torture to keep the other   
there while he married the other, so he couldn't do that. Both had a   
significant effect on his life, and he would close a door he didn't   
want to close if he let one go. Ryoko, with her infectious laugh and   
her forceful personality, helped Tenchi to pull out of his shell and   
express himslef. Ayeka, with her silent grace and quiet strength,   
allowed Tenchi to be at peace, if only for a moment. Both were things   
he cherished and didn't want to lose. He wished that he could come  
up with a solution. He wished that he could talk with someone about   
this. He wished he could avoid that truck....THAT TRUCK!  
"Eyes front, Tenchi!" Kiyone shouted, shocking him out of his   
reverie. Tenchi swerved left and barely avoided the truck. "Hey,   
you jerk," Tenchi yelled at the truck driver, "Why don't you drive on   
the right side of the road!"  
Kiyone, with a puzzled look, said "Uhhh, Tenchi, he was driving on   
the right side of the road. You swerved in front of him. Why don't   
you pull over and let me drive for a while. I can see that you need to   
think about something."  
Tenchi grinned sheepishly and said, "He he, sorry Kiyone. I guess   
that you should drive."  
It was 10:38  
  
At 11:33, Sasami knocked on the Masaki shrine office door.   
"Grandfather?" She called tentatively into the darkness. "I have some   
tea," she added, "are you here?"   
"I'm here, Sasami," Katsuhito called in that gruff voice of his.   
Sasami always found that voice calming, but she wasn't sure why.   
Katsuhito, when she had first came to live with Tenchi, had scared her   
a little. But he had helped Tenchi so much that she had struck up a   
friendship with him after that buisness with Dr. Clay. Now she took   
every chance to go talk with him. Katsuhito asked, "Where's Ryo-Ohki   
today?"  
"Washu is giving her her six-month checkup early because she was   
sneezing last night. She's afraid that he might have a cold." Sasami   
answered. She put the tea on a tray with cups and sugar and brought it   
over to where Katsuhito was sitting. She continued, saying "I hope   
it's not something..."  
"Now Sasami, you know better than to lie to me. Ryo-Ohki   
couldn't get a cold on earth even if she tried. Earth diseases don't   
affect her. Now, where is she really?'  
"I wasn't looking where i was going and almost stepped on her.   
When I tried to apologize, she ran away. I really don't know where   
she is."  
"You must have been very disturbed to become that distracted.   
What's on your mind?"  
"Tsunami."  
"I thought we settled that a while ago."  
"I feel her inside and I think it's taking me over."  
"What brought this on?"  
"Well, this morning I played a prank on Tenchi."  
"Why is that important?"  
"Because I haven't played a prank in a very long time. I never   
really felt like it. I wasn't tempted till this morning. Ususally,   
I'm well behaved. Ask Sister. But this is the longest time that I   
haven't played a prank on anyone. I thought it was because I liked  
Tenchi. And I was so busy that I couldn't get bored. But, after the   
prank this morning, I realized that I had not even felt like playing   
one until today. I think Tsunami's taking me over."  
Katsuhito poured out some tea and thought about what she said.   
It was 11:36  
  
At 11:34, Ryoko knocked on Washu's door. Washu's face   
immediately appeared on he door's faceplate. Washu asked, "What is   
it?"  
"I need to talk to you, Washu. Something doesn't feel right   
today." Ryoko said.  
"I'll let you in only if you promise to call me Mom the whole   
time."  
Ryoko reddened. She was always uncomfortable calling what looked   
like a young adolescent "Mom". She yelled at the door. "Okay, Mom, but   
if you think I'm going to sit through another one of you lectures, you   
got another thing comin'!"  
Washu vanished from the face plate, and the door opened.   
Stepping through, Ryoko opened the inner door to Washu's lab, expecting   
to find her typing at her favorite spot. Instead, she opened the door   
to see a different part of the lab entirely. Washu was looking at a   
string of data with Ayeka. Ryoko tried to teleport over, but she   
couldn't. "Hey!" She exclaimed, "What's going on!"  
Washu, never looking up from the console, said "After the Mass   
escaped last time, I started to work on a field that would inhibit   
their powers so they couldn't escape again. I installed it last night.   
What do you think?"  
"Well, it works, but do you have to project it over the whole   
lab?!"  
"That's what I'm trying to fix. If the field isn't of a certain   
size, it collapses. That's why it took me so long. It took me a long   
time to figure out that I had the right idea, just that I needed a   
bigger field. I'm trying to make it smaller. Since Jurai fields can   
block some of your powers and are smaller, I asked Ayeka to see if she   
could stabilize a smaller field and then see if I can duplicate the effect.   
Anyway, what are you nervous about?"  
"I don't know. It seems that something is happening, but I cant   
put my finger on it." Washu looked at Ryoko in a disapproving manor.   
"What?" Ryoko said  
"I told you to call me Mom!"  
"I don't have to call you 'Mom' in every sentence!"  
It was 11:36.  
  
At 11:35, Tenchi knocked on the door of Nobiyuki's apartment. "I   
hope he isn't worring. We're half an hour late." Tenchi said  
"I'm sure that he called the house to ask and they told him that   
we left late. There is nothing to worry about except for your   
carrots."  
"What do you mean?"  
"If I know Mihoshi, she's probably crying over the fact that she   
just pulled up most of the carrots with the weeds."  
"I don't think so."  
"Your optimistic."  
It was 11:36.  
  
At 11:35, Ryo-Ohki went to the carrot fields behind Tenchi's   
house. She looked for Tenchi but didn't see him. Instead she saw a   
quivering mass of weeds and baby carrots that seemed to wailing and   
crying rivers of water. She also saw Azaka and Kamadake facefaulted on   
the ground. She rounded the mound and saw Mihoshi kneeling on the ground,  
wailing "But, but I thought that you wanted me to pull up all the plants   
that were that size." Snivleing, Mihoshi looked up as Ryo-Ohki walked   
twards her. "Are you looking for Tenchi?" She said to the little cabbit.  
"Mya!" Ryo-Ohki exclaimed.  
"He went to town with Kiyone and Mayuka today. I'm doing his   
chores. Want a turnip?"  
"Mya?" Ryo-Ohki said mournfully.  
"Just joking," Mihoshi said, "You want a carrot?" Suddenly, Ryo-Ohki  
began to mya fearfully. Her fur stood on edge and the hissed. "What's wrong,  
Ryo-Ohki?" asked Mihoshi.   
It was 11:36.  
  
At 11:32:25, a small rock deep under the surface gave under the   
pressure put upon it. This caused the Pacific plate and the Eurasian   
plate to jolt violently. The shock wave traveled up and reached the   
surface at 11:36:03.  
  
For Tenchi, the sensation was sickening. The ground underneath   
his feat becan to shake and he almost lost his balance. Kiyone, as   
skilled as ever, yelled, "Head for the emergency stairs. They shuld be   
re-enforced." As she spun, Tenchi picked up the baby bag he had put   
down and hugged Mayuka tighter. She was crying, and he tried to   
comfort her before he saw the ceiling falling right on top of Kiyone.  
"Kiyone, look out!"  
  
Mihoshi was toppled to the ground as it shook beneath her. She   
grabbed Ryo-Ohki and shouted "Everyone, away from the trees!" As she   
struggled to rise. Azaka grabbed her and Ryo-Ohki in a force field and   
flew into the middle of the plowed field. There they hukered down and  
waited for the shaking to stop.   
  
Sasami screamed as the shaking started, and Katsuhito picked her   
up and began to move twards the door. Halfway there, he fell,   
groaning. "What's wrong?" Sasami yelled over the din.  
"Funaho. Somthings happening to Funaho." He groaned. Suddenly,  
the groundgave a sickening lurch and began to slide sidways, the walls  
collapsed and Sasami's screamed again.  
  
At Funaho, the shaking put ripples into the calm pool at it's base.  
The tree almost immediately started to send pulses of light from its   
leaves, sending a distress signal. Unfortunately, the hill it was   
resting under was sitting on clay, and the earthquake liquified the  
ground. The hillside jumped, slipped, and slid rapidly down twards Funaho.  
The lights coming from it's leaves became seemingly more frantic. A   
wedge of land slid over the venerable tree. Unable to withstand the   
shearing stess, the trunk snapped in two. The tree gave a agonized,  
almost human scream as the tree sent its last message pulse and then  
died.  
  
In Washu's lab, the shaking was even more intense than outside.   
"What's happening,"shouted Ayeka.  
"Earthquake. I've got to stabilize the door before we break   
away." Washu answered with a shout.   
"Why?" asked Ryoko  
"If I don't, then the door will break and we'll drift around   
subspace until I establish new one. That one, though, could be   
galaxies away from Earth."  
Suddenly Ayeka screamed and projected a force field round Ryoko.   
Ryoko looked up to see a huge portion of the lab falling twards her.   
She tried to teleport, but was unable to because of the mass-inhibiting   
field. Ryoko lifted her arm and blasted at the debris. She blew a  
large chunk of it away, but the piece was to large to completely   
destroy. Ryoko prayed that Ayeka's shield would hold. But even Ayeka's  
shield couldn't hold against 50 tons of metal and rock. Ryoko screamed,   
and the world fell in on her.  
  
The Door to Washu's lab fared better than the Masaki home. During the  
first few seconds of shaking, the home withstood nature's onslaught.   
But, inevitably, one of the walls gave under the strain and collapsed.  
The remaining walls were unable to support the roof. All of this came  
down upon staircase. Washu's door, having been reenforced by Washu,  
held and didn't budge. Then, the landslide rolled over the house.  
Unfortunately, Washu had only re-enforced the door to withstand the  
house's weight. Unable to withstand tons of dirt rolling over it, The door  
folded in half, broke, and then vanished, leaving no trace of it ever having   
existed. The slide then rolled over the house, burying it 7 feet deep.   
  
Ayeka ran forward to Ryoko's prone body, but was only barely able to   
stand on the shaking floor. Then, as suddenly as it began, the shaking   
stopped. Ayekacalled to Washu, "Thank heaven this earthquake is over.   
Now help..."  
Washu interuppted Ayeka, saying "Unfortunately, the shaking stopped  
because the door was destroyed." Ayeka gasped as Washu continued,   
"Unless I can figure out how to find a point in realspace from subspace..."  
Washu trailed off.  
Ayeka took a breath as she realized what Washu was saying and finished  
her thought, "... we'll never see Lord Tenchi again."  
  
  
Well, This is my first fic. Give me a e-mail with C&C at PmBernard@usa.net  
Thanks for reading!  



	2. No Need For Rubble

Disclaimer: The characters of Tenchi Muyo Belong to AIC and Pioneer  
LDC so please dont sue me. If you sue me, I'll have to find your  
home and torture you to death. So I really don't have time to do both.  
In all seriousness, please don't sue me as I have no money.  
  
Painful Trials  
Part 2: No Need for Rubble  
  
"Kiyone, look out!" Tenchi yelled over the scream of twisting metal  
and shattering concrete. He clutched Mayuka even closer to him and   
prayed that she heard him. A large piece of the building was coming down  
on Kiyone. In response to Tenchi's call, Kiyone looked up, then dived to  
the side as the piece landed where she had been. The rest of the ceiling  
collapsed, shutting them off from the stairs and trapping them. Then, as  
sickeningly as it had begun, the earthquake stopped.  
"Damn, we're trapped," Kiyone cursed. "Tenchi, come over here and   
help me clear this rubble." She then fell to her knees and started to   
dig at the rubble that had trapped them all in the hall outside   
Nobiyuki's apartment.   
"Why don't you use your blaster, Kiyone?" Tenchi asked as he moved  
to help her.  
"Because the room in which we're trapped may be unstable. I don't   
want to set off another collapse," Kiyone answered.   
"But why should we try to get out at all. The rescue team will be   
here soon."  
"I wouldn't be so sure. No one really knows where we are, and if   
the damage to this building is any indication, the Emergency Rescue   
Squad will have better things to do then search for us."   
"But..."  
"If I wanted to hold a question and answer session, Tenchi, I would   
have said so. Sometimes you are as bad as Mihoshi. Now shut up and dig."  
  
Mihoshi, having curled into a ball during the earthquake, uncurled   
and looked around. "Is everybody OK?" she asked in a hesitant voice.  
Azaka rose, towering over Mihoshi and said, "Yes, Miss Mihoshi. Are  
you well?"  
Brushing herself off, Mihoshi rose and looked out at the surrounding  
country side. "I'm fin..." A wave of cold fear swept over her as she   
looked into the distance and her words froze in her throat. Suddenly,   
she jumped up, grabbed Ryo-Ouki, and began running toward the Masaki   
home. Azaka and Kamadake flew after her in confusion.   
"Miss Mihoshi, what's wrong?" Kamadake asked  
"The hill..huff..it's gone...huff...I think there...huff..'s   
been a landslide!" Mihoshi panted as she ran. "Azaka, Kamadake,...go   
find Aeka,... Ryoko....and the others. I'll check the house."  
Kamadake's voice took on a worried tone as he responded. "I believe  
that they are all in the house. Master Yosho may be in the shrine,   
though."  
"Go check on Mr. Yosho then!" Mihoshi said. "The Hill the shrine   
was on was the one that slid."   
Mihoshi held in her fear for her friends as she ran toward the   
house, but it steadily continued to grow as she rounded the bend to get   
to the house. Suddenly she stopped, looking in shock at the scene of   
devastation that lay about the site of the former Masaki house. Where   
the house had stood before, now was a large mound of loose dirt and   
rocks. Splintered trees stood out like grotesque tombstones presiding   
over a burial mound. Grass and other plant life was intermingled with   
fragments of concrete. Parts of the house had been swept into the lake,  
and the lakes shoreline had been changed by the landslide.   
Mihoshi fell to her knees and began to cry. She cried for Ryoko,   
Washu, Aeka and Sasami. She wept in shock at the sheer horror of it all.  
She silently prayed *I hope they are all alright*.   
  
Ryoko woke and instantly regretted having done so. She was in   
excruciating pain and she groaned as she waited to heal. After a few   
seconds, she realized that the pain wasn't going away. She opened her   
eyes, and saw that the lower half of her body was flattened between the   
floor and the section of Washu's lab that had fallen on her. Ryoko was   
even more shocked to realize that she didn't seem to be healing.   
Suddenly, what had happened came flooding back to her. "Washu, can't you  
turn off that damn field and let me regenerate!" She turned her head to  
face her mother, who was busily typing away at her floating computer.   
"Unfortunately, Ryoko, most of my computer system is down, and I can  
access almost none of the controls that run this lab. I can monitor a   
few systems and access my records, but I've lost control of the lab.   
Anyway, I told you to call me MOM!" Washu turned from the computer   
angrily.  
Ryoko opened her mouth to retort, and then saw that Washu was crying.  
Ryoko cut the retort back and instead asked, "Where's Aeka? Is she   
alright?"  
Washu smiled at that, though the tears still flowed from her eyes.  
"Aeka is out there trying to scrounge some supplies and food from my   
storage facility. I stayed here to monitor you, to keep you safe, and   
to work on one of the other problems we have." Washu said as she turned  
back to her computer.   
"Protect me? Why would you need to protect me?!"  
"Well, some of my specimens cages broke during the earthquake, and   
many of those species are dangerous. Also, your condition needs constant  
supervision."  
"You sent Aeka out into that! She couldn't last a minute versus   
Kagato! What makes you think that she can handle herself HERE, against   
a bunch of monsters! And you just send her out there, you idiot! What   
were you thinking?!"  
"Actually, Aeka has more power than you give her credit for. The   
reason she lost to Kagato so quickly was that he was in his Chapel, and   
it's energy reflection properties protected him from Aeka's attack.   
Also, none of the specimens are as dangerous as Kagato. The only one that  
got close was the Mass, and their powers have been removed by the same   
field that inhibits you."   
"I still think you should have gone, MOM!" Ryoko said in a   
sarcastic tone, using the title almost as a weapon.   
Washu responded to the remark and ignored the tone. "I also have to  
work on reconnecting us to real space. The longer I delay in doing that,  
the farther away we will drift from Earth."  
"You mean were just floating around in subspace! Jesus, how many.  
..things..." Suddenly, Ryoko felt very weak.  
"Ryoko!" Washu cried as she ran to her side. "Calm down! You're   
going to hurt yourself further if you continue to be this angry! Ryoko!"  
The last words that Ryoko heard before she went unconscious were   
"Hang on, please hang on!"  
  
Aeka proceeded down the hallway, looking left and right. She had   
activated her Juraian battle armor, but she hoped that she wouldn't need   
it. Despite what Washu said, She knew that this could be very dangerous.  
Her shield was up, and she tried to stay alert. But she was very nervous,  
and she felt the urge to go back.  
"But Ryoko's in trouble. I've got to help her!" she said aloud to   
no one in particular. This statement, though, only increased her anxiety  
and her worry. She had been troubled by Ryoko's pale, wan face, and   
even more disturbed by the news that she might not see Tenchi. She knew   
that Washu was doing all that she could, but even if Washu did get us   
home, there was no guarantee that Tenchi would be safe.  
*You're wasting time*, thought Aeka, *Ryoko needs every second.   
Don't be so selfish as to waste that time worrying about your own   
problems. Just like Lady Funaho told you, "Focus on the current problem.  
The next problem will not be solved by worrying."* At that Aeka rose her   
head and resolutely marched into the chest of a large, orange skinned   
humanoid, who had been walking toward her. The humanoid reached out to   
grab her and instead got a shock as his hands touched the shield that she  
had stupidly let lower while she wasn't paying attention. Aeka, berating  
herself for that mistake, shield punched straight through the being like   
it wasn't even there, shoving it against the wall. Suddenly, she   
remembered that Washu had asked her to catch anything that she   
encountered.   
Squatting by the now prone form of the orange skinned creature,   
Aeka pulled out one of the Prison Cubes that Washu had given her and   
activated it. A bubble quickly surrounded the animal, encasing him in a   
pocket of liquids that would simultaneously support and sedate the   
creature, as well as float back to Washu. Aeka then went on, deeper into  
the labyrinth, searching for the supply room, and hoping in her heart   
that everyone, especially Tenchi and Sasami, were safe.   
  
Sasami was tending to his wounds when Yosho awoke again. Or, was   
it Sasami? Her movements had taken on an air of confidence and   
knowledge that Yosho suspected was supplied by Tsunami. Turning his   
head, he looked around at a twilight version of his shrine office. The   
walls were leaning heavily to the right, and dirt was seeping in from   
the seams. "How bad is it?" he asked, and just saying those words   
took a lot out of him.   
"Well, I think that we're half buried, dear Yosho."  
Yosho smiled. "No, I was asking how Sasami was, Tsunami."  
Sasami's image blurred, to be replaced with one that was older,   
more mature, but with still a hint of playfulness around the eyes.   
Tsunami said "Sasami is still frightened, but she is unhurt."  
"And how am *I* doing?"  
"Very badly, I'm afraid. The shock of Funaho's destruction has   
destroyed most of what was sustaining you. You have very little energy   
left."  
Yosho looked at his hand, and saw that he still looked old. "If   
I'm almost out of energy, the why am I sustaining the illusion of my   
age?"  
"That is the other problem. The removal of the sustaining factor   
of the gems channeled through Funaho has accelerated your aging. You   
are literally being hit with all of the years that have been held off for  
so long."  
"In other words, even if I can survive the psychological shock of   
Funaho's destruction, I still will die."  
With a mournful look upon her face, Tsunami said "Yes." Yosho took   
a deep breath. He felt a conflict within him as one side railed against   
the conclusion he had reached. His wisdom overrode that feeling, and he   
resigned himself to that fate. Yosho thought back to all of the   
decisions he had made in this life. Leaving Jurai and Aeka, marrying   
Itsuki, it seemed sad that he was dying now, but he couldn't really   
complain about it. Tsunami interrupted his reverie by saying, "Yosho,   
there is something that I want you to know."  
Snapped back into reality, Yosho turned his head toward Tsunami and   
said, "Yes, what is it?"  
"It's about Tenchi. I want you to know that he is my chosen in the  
fight to come. Both Washu and I have influenced him, Washu through   
Nobiyuki and Ryoko, and myself through you and Aeka. I have guided his   
conception, and he is my chosen."  
At this remark, Yosho's eyes widened. Anger flared in the pit of his   
stomach and he asked, in a harsh tone of voice "You guided his   
conception?! Why are you speaking of Tenchi like he was some sort of   
pawn in a huge game?!"  
At the angry tone, Tsunami leaned back as if to defend herself. "I   
thought that you would be proud..."  
"Proud of what, that Tenchi had to grow up without a mother because   
it didn't fit into your plans!? That my love for Itsuki was only there   
because YOU needed us together?! Or maybe that Ryoko had to be put   
through years of derision and scorn under Kagato so that she would be a   
perfect instrument for Washu?! In one breath you have made a lie   
out of my life and the lives of my family and friends!"  
"Yosho, I didn't set this up this way. Your love for Itsuki was   
real, and..."  
"Why should I believe you?! You just told me that my life and my   
family were created for your convenience! How many others had to die   
like Achika to fit into your plans?"  
"I didn't kill Achika. She..."  
"You even set up the prejudice that drove me and hundreds of others   
off Jurai, just so that I would stay here and marry Itsuki! How much   
suffering is justifiable to you?!"  
"None, but more suffering would be caused if Tenchi wasn't here.   
Look I regret what I did but certain things weren't my doing!"  
"Like Sasami? If what you said is true, you helped Sasami because   
it was convenient for you! She's frightened and scared of your   
assimilation with her, but her feelings are just swept aside because   
they interfere with your plans!"  
"Yosho, I think you being unfair to me..."  
"To YOU! To YOU! How many other lives have you hurt to protect   
you and Washu! Just go away and let me think and die in peace! Let just   
one part of my life by my own!"  
With a hurt expression, Tsunami left Yosho to the darkness and his   
thoughts.  
  
Tenchi was worried. He and Kiyone had been digging in the rubble   
for a while now, and he was beginning to get nervous. As he dug, images   
of himself, Mayuka, and Kiyone buried alive in this collapsed corridor   
flashed through his mind. Firmly thrusting this out of his mind, he   
continued to dig. Suddenly, both he and Kiyone heard a rumbling sound.   
Both he and Kiyone jumped back from the pile of rubble they had been   
digging at, and watched it collapse further, erasing the work of the   
past hour.  
"Damn it!" Kiyone swore, kicking at some of the loose rubble that   
came rolling toward them. She walked back to where Mayuka was resting,   
and began to check her over.  
"Is she ok?" Tenchi asked nervously.  
"She's fine, but she needs a diaper change. Give me a hand,   
would you Tenchi?" Kiyone asked as she drew the diaper bag over.  
"Sure," Tenchi replied. As he was helping her change Mayuka, he   
became even more nervous. The pessimist within him was sure that they   
weren't coming out of this alive. Suddenly curious, he asked Kiyone,   
"Why do you hate Mihoshi?" Kiyone blinked for a few seconds, then began   
to laugh out loud. Tenchi, puzzled, asked, "Why are you laughing?"  
"I'm laughing because I didn't expect the 'I don't think we'll make   
it so before we go, can I ask you a question?' bit from you Tenchi."  
Feeling sheepish, Tenchi asked, "Well?"  
"Well what?"  
"Why do you hate Mihoshi?"  
"What makes you think I hate her? She is one of my good friends!"  
"Then why do you act so surly to her? The way you act to her   
doesn't seem friendly to me."  
"I never said that Mihoshi was the easiest of friends to have   
Tenchi. Frequently, she gets on my nerves. I mean she bungles things,   
she makes mistakes, and she forgets a lot. But when you get down to it,   
she is...is...I can't explain it but...well...like your friendship with   
Ryoko."  
"What?!"  
"You can't tell me, Tenchi, that Ryoko doesn't get on you nerves."  
Tenchi thought about it for a moment. Why did he like Ryoko. She   
was a wild, off-the-wall, and sometimes a little cruel and insensitive.   
But she had so many good qualities, he smile, her determination, her   
fun-loving personality. All of those things made her flaws smaller and   
less important. Why was he dwelling... "Hello, GPHQ to Tenchi, hello!"  
Kiyone was waving her hand in front of his face.  
Snapped back into reality, Tenchi said, "Wha?"  
"Help me put on Mayuka's new diaper and then we start digging   
ourselves out again."  
"Okay, Kiyone, and thanks."  
  
Aeka, having found what Washu was looking for in the storage room,   
ran as fast a she could back to where Washu and Ryoko were. A cold fear   
washed over Aeka as she entered the room, for Washu was holding Ryoko's   
hand, and Ryoko was very pale. *Oh merciful Tsunami, I'm too late.*   
Rushing toward Washu, she shouted, "Miss Washu, I brought what you asked   
for!"   
Instantly, Washu bounded up from the floor and went to her worktable.  
"Bring it here! Quickly!"  
"But Miss Washu, don't we need to tend to....."  
"That's what I'm doing. Bring it here!"  
Not understanding why but trusting Washu, Aeka brought the kit over  
to the worktable. Opening it, Washu began to put the crystalline   
material into a framework, rapidly building a small device. Shocked,   
Aeka shouted "Miss Washu, what are you doing?! Ryoko is seriously hurt,   
and your fiddling with some device? Now help me..."  
"Quiet!"  
"But Ryoko is hurt and you don't seem to be doing anything about it!"  
Washu spun and slapped Aeka, then immediately turned to her work.   
"Don't you DARE doubt that I wouldn't help Ryoko first! Now be quiet so   
I can work!"  
Aeka backed away and waited for Washu to finish her work. Within a   
minute, Washu had put the crystals into a matrix. Running over, Washu   
placed the object next to Ryoko and pushed a crystal at the top of the   
objet. The crystalline machine pulsed with a blue glow once, then   
settled into a steady glow. Ryoko started to look better almost   
instantly, and both Aeka and Washu breathed a sigh of relief. Aeka   
asked "What is that machine?"  
Washu smiled. "It's Kagato's prototype for the Chapel device. Right  
now it is reversing the energy of the field, strengthening Ryoko's mass   
abilities. She should be awake and able to phase out of that rubble in   
no time."  
Aeka smiled too. "Oh, I forgot! I captured this being while I was   
getting the supplies. Here you go." Aeka handed the prison cube to   
Washu  
"Hmmm.. I've been wondering what happened to him."  
"Who is it?"  
"One of my laboratory assistants. I lost him in this lab   
ten-thousand years ago!"  
Aeka looked stricken. "Oh no! Did I hurt him that bad?"  
"Hmmm, nope, he doesn't need anything more than a full skeletal   
reconstruction!"  
"Oh no! I hope he's alright....what are you smiling at?"  
Washu began to laugh. "I'm kidding! He's one of my specimens!"   
Aeka promptly facefaulted. "But that's what you get, calling me MISS   
Washu!" Washu said triumphantly.  
  



End file.
